The Child Support(Northern Ireland) Order 1991

Periodical reviews

18.—(1) The Department shall make such arrangements as it considers necessary to secure that where any maintenance assessment has been in force for a prescribed period the amount of child support maintenance fixed by that assessment (“the original assessment”) is reviewed by a child support officer under this Article as soon as is reasonably practicable after the end of that prescribed period.

(2) Before conducting any review under this Article, the child support officer concerned shall give to such persons as may be prescribed, such notice of the proposed review as may be prescribed.

(3) A review shall be conducted under this Article as if a fresh application for a maintenance assessment had been made by the person in whose favour the original assessment was made.

(4) On completing any review under this Article, the child support officer concerned shall make a fresh maintenance assessment, unless he is satisfied that the original assessment has ceased to have effect or should be brought to an end.

(5) Where a fresh maintenance assessment is made under paragraph (4), it shall take effect—

(a) on the day immediately after the end of the prescribed period mentioned in paragraph (1); or

(b) in such circumstances as may be prescribed, on such later date as may be determined in accordance with regulations made by the Department.

(6) The Department may by regulations prescribe circumstances (for example, where the maintenance assessment is about to terminate) in which a child support officer may decide not to conduct a review under this Article.